Who says slaving away over your own stove and filling your kitchen sink with dishes is the only way to celebrate Thanksgiving? Take advantage of the long weekend and start a new family tradition of traveling together this year. Spending the holidays in a hotel can be more relaxing than the hustle and bustle associated with a conventional celebration at home and many hotels offer special deals to help you celebrate the holiday away from home; you can even get the traditional turkey and trimmings!

Cotton Tree – Grand Cayman Islands - Spend the holidays in a private beach cottage and spend your time doing yoga instead of cooking. Rates for the “Thanksgiving Special,” which is valid for a November 23-26 reservation, start at $890.00 US per night. (www.caymancottontree.com code CT375)

Hawks Cay Resort – Florida Keys – The family-friendly resort on Duck Key is celebrating the holiday weekend with tons of activities, including a 5k Turkey Trot Walk/Run and a pie-eating competition. They’ll also be serving a family-style dinner or you can just spend your long weekend lounging in one of their five pools. (www.hawkscay.com)

Marquis Los Cabos – Los Cabos, Mexico – Grab a suite on the beach this year and enjoy lots of extra amenities, incluing a $300 spa credit, VIP rountrip airport transportation, and breakfast delivered each morning via a “silent butler” service. Take advantage of the Thanksgiving special to get a fourth night free. Nightly rates start at $590 for a Junior Suite. (1-877-238-9399 or www.marquisloscabos.com)

Photo courtesy of Marquis Los Cabos

Teach your dog how to surf on vacation!

I came across this article on ABCNews.com the other day written by Jeryl Brunner, and some of the information regarding weird hotel amenities made me laugh. Dog surfing? Really? Ok, ok. I have two dogs, and I might actually try that one out.

I can’t take credit for any of the info below, but I wanted to share it with you all. Hope you enjoyed learning about this stuff as much as I did. I think the common theme here is that in this economy, hotels are struggling more than ever, and it’s imperative that they come up with creative ways to keep old guests and attract new ones. Emphasis on the word creative. Here are three of my favorites from the list.

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Celebrate Valentine's Day with great hotel packages

Hotels all over the country are trying to woo couples into their guest rooms for the upcoming Valentine’s Day weekend.  But don’t expect deep discounts over Cupid’s holiday, especially at the hotels you really want to stay at for a special occasion.  You’ll still spend a pretty penny to spend the night at a nice hotel, but you and your sweetheart can get a lot more for your money if you take advantage of special Valentine’s Day amenities packages.

Instead of dropping prices, hotels are continuing with the “wow them with amenities” trend.  Some upscale properties aren’t expecting you to spend the night at all and instead offer guests a chance to experience the amenities without even checking in.

Here are some of our favorite Valentine’s Day hotel packages from around the country.

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Inn at Lost Creek

Wouldn’t it be great if you could go on vacation without having to deal with the hassle of luggage?  An upscale ski resort and hotel in Telluride, Colorado has come one step closer to making that fantasy a reality with a creative new amenity.

The Inn at Lost Creek, which markets itself as “the little hotel with large amenities”, is offering to handle at least part of the luggage hassle for guests who book the Simply-Ski package.  Although you’ll still need to pack and unpack your own luggage, the Inn at Lost Creek will do the rest of the heavy lifting for you – literally.

The Simply-Ski package for the 2010/2011 ski season includes:

• Four nights ski-in/ski out accommodation
• Up to two free ski rental equipment packages per room/per night
• Daily continental breakfast
• Advance luggage pick-up and delivery between the guest’s home address and hotel for up to two bags
• $75 in groceries pre-ordered and stocked for the guest’s arrival

The hotel will also provide ground transportation from the Telluride Airport or wash your car before you head home.

Nightly rates for the Simply-Ski package start at $357 per room during the early season.  The package is being offered from November 25, 2010 to April 4, 2011.  No word on who will be responsible for tackling the laundry mountain once you’ve returned home.

Photo courtesy of the Inn at Lost Creek